Heroic Stories of the Taiheiki (Taiheiki eiyû den, 太平記英勇傳),

Part I

Publisher: Yamamoto-ya Heikichi

c. 1848-1849

The Taiheiki was written in the late fourteenth century and recounts a series of wars between the Northern Court of Ashikaga Takauji in Kyoto, and the Southern Court of Emperor Go-Daigo in Yoshino. However, this series of prints portrays characters from the civil wars of the sixteenth century, with the participant’s names altered. Most of the prints bear numbers within circles. They are each about 14 by 10 inches (36 by 25 centimeters), a size known as ôban. Complete translations of the texts on the prints may be found in Heroes of the Grand Pacification: Kuniyoshi’s Taiheiki eiyū den by Elena Varshavskaya (2006, Hotei Publishing, Amsterdam, 2006).

	Robinson: S62.1 Number: 43 Description: Kozaemon Hisamitsu mounted and armored, but bareheaded, on his galloping steed Historical character: Haigô Gozaemon Hisamitsu
	Robinson: S62.2 Number: 34 Description: Akashi Ridayû Hidemoto, with a straw raincoat over his armor, and armed with a hoe Historical character: Akashi Gidayû Tadamasu
	Robinson: S62.3 Number: 19 Description: Amanaka Shikanosuke Yukimori, fully armored and carrying a jûmonji spear Historical character: Yamanaka Shikanosuke Yukimori NOTE: The illustrated example is from an unnumbered edition
	Robinson: S62.4 Number: 27 Description: Aragi Settsu no Kami Murashige, in full court dress, eating mochi (rice buns) from the point of the sword of the unseen Nobunaga Historical character: Araki Setsu-no kami Murashige
	Robinson: S62.5 Number: 7 (㊆) Description: Asai Bizen no Kami Naka masa armored and seated on a tiger-skin stool, inspecting a severed head Historical character: Asai Nagamasa
	Robinson: S62.6 Number: 8 (㊇) Description: Asakura Saemon-no-tayû Yoshikane standing, armored except for sode (sleeve) and helmet, cutting off the end of his waistband Historical character: Asakura Saemonnokami Yoshikage
	Robinson: S62.7 Number: 3 (㊂) Description: Chibata Shuri-no-shin Tatsuie grasping his spear, with which he has just broken the water-jars to induce his men to make a sally while besieged in the castle of Chôkôji Historical character: Shibata Shurinosuke Katsuie NOTE: The illustrated example is from an unnumbered edition
	Painting after the above print
	Robinson: S62.8 Number: 22 Description: Fujiwara no Masakiyo in full armor seated on a camp-stool on the shore in Korea, with two Koreans at his feet Historical character: Katô Kiyomasa
	Robinson: S62.9 Number: 15 Description: Fukishima Masamori in armor, struggling with three assailants Historical character: Fukushima Masanori
	Robinson: S62.10 Number: This design exists with the number 31 and also with the number 33 Description: Hamaji Shôgen Mitsukuni, armored but without helmet, cutting a blossoming branch with his sword Historical character: Yamaji Shôgen Masakuni
	Robinson: S62.11 Number: 35 Description: Hayashi Tanshirô Taketoshi, armored but without helmet, in his last battle at Uchide-no-hama in 1582 Historical character: Hayashi Hanshirô Taketoshi
	Robinson: S62.12 Number: 44 Description: Hida Magobei Masatoshi, in armor but without helmet, in battle against the Chinese in Korea Historical character: Kida Magobee Muneharu
	Robinson: S62.13 Number: 17 Description: Hori Ran Maru Nagayasu, in court robes, having just knocked off the court cap of Takachi Michihide with his fan Historical character: Mori Ranmaru Nagasada
	Another state of the above design
	Robinson: S62.14 Number: 45 Description: Horimoto Gigayû Takatoshi standing in full armor holding his spear Historical character: Morimoto Gidayû Hidetora
	Robinson: S62.15 Number: 2 (㊁) Description: Inagawa Jibu-no-tayû Minamoto no Yoshimoto in full armor, seated on a camp stool by a fence Historical character: Imagawa Yoshimoto
	Robinson: S62.16 Number: 47 Description: Ina-ue Daikurô Masatada in armor without a helmet, firing a small cannon Historical character: Inoue Daikurô Nagayoshi
	Another state of the above design in which the skull on the sashimono is grey
	Robinson: S62.17 Number: This design exists with the number 27 and also with the number 37 Description: Ishikawa Sôsuke Sadatomo at the Battle of Shizu-ga-mine in 1583 Historical character: Ishikawa Hyôsuke Kazumitsu
	Robinson: S62.18 Number: 10 (㊉) Description: Isono Tamba no Kami Sadamasa seated on a camp stool holding a spear Historical character: Isono Tanba-no kami Kazumasa
	Another state of the above design

“Robinson” refers to listing in Kuniyoshi: The Warrior-Prints by Basil William Robinson (Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY, 1982) and its privately published supplement.

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